Sheet rack for presses



Dec. 5, 1933. F. s. ENGLISH fr Al.

SHEET RACK FOR PRESSES Filed Oct. 5, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet l- (Il lN w .QW N l N N w W .,QN n@ NN n NM. .Lr QN N\ i.. c. i3|\| E E ma E [l H IIV ---mf M BQ. 95M. ww am u uw Y? n? rl\ .T j u ---l ---5--- 1...? o lIMWWMHHHHHHHINHHHHHHHHHHMUHMHI|||\ [--lluvv o C\ k M.\\ M.

Dec. 5, 1933. F. s. ENGLISH ET A1.

SHEET RACK FOR PRESSES Filed Oct. 5 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 5, 1933. F. s. ENGLISH ET AL SHEET RACK FOR PRESSES Filed Oct. 5 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 @@f 5y 3933. F, s. ENGLISH Er As.

SHEET RACK FOR PRESSES Filed Oct. 5, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Bec. 55 w33. F. s. ENGLISH Er A1.

SHEET RACK FOR PRESSES 5. 1926 5 Sheets-sheet 5 Filed OC.

liz

Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE London, Conn.,

agncrs to The Babcock Printing Press Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Connecticut Application October 5, 1926. Serial No. 139,615

34 Claims.

Our -invention relates to a device for temporarily receiving and holding the sheets delivered from a press while the latter is in operation and during the period when the large or main stack of sheets is being removed from the press. Gur invention is adapted for use in connection with printing presses, cutting and creasing presses, and other forms of machines from which sheets of stock are delivered into a pile. We have chosen to illustrate our invention as applied to a cutting and creasing press having the well known type of Babcock delivery device and also what-is generally called an extended delivery table;` that is, a lowering pile table set oii at the end of the press and arranged upon a more or less separate framework for receiving a large stack of sheets as they are delivered from time to time from the press. In the operation of presses,l especially printing and cutting and creasing presses, ccnsiderable tirne is consumed in removing the stack of sheets which accumulate in the form of a pile, and unless provision is made for receiving the sheets while the pile is being removed and a new pile table placed into position, the press would have to be stopped. As this operation is repeated a number of times during the day, especially where heavy cardboard stock isbeing delivered, it is desirable to provide means for ternporarily receiving the sheets while the main pile is being removed, and the new pile table placed into position. The obiect of the present invention is to provide a simple and eliicient meansl for receiving the sheets temporarily during the removal of the main stack. One object of the invention is to provide a form of rack which may be extended more or less, according to adjustment, to receive sheets of diierent sizes. Another object is to provide a folding rack which will be suitable for receiving sheets of large size and at the same time requiring no additional floor space over that required for the extended delivery device itself. Another object is to provide a sheet rack having rolling members which will withdraw from the temporary stack of sheets by a rolling action, thereby transferring the sheets from the temporaryrack to the main pile table while the press is in operation, and with the least disturbance to the sheets, and with a minimum effort. This rolling action, as distinguished from a sli ing action, we believe to be broadly new. Another object of our invention is to provide a rack which will be suitable for receiving heavy sheets and which will not bind when being moved into and out of operative position. With these and other objects in view which will be pointed out in the detailed description, the invention in the preferred form is illustrated in the drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of ,the delivery end of a cutting and creasing press ,having an extended delivery table set off from the-end thereof, and to which our invention is applied,

FigureZ is a front elevation of the same taken from the leit hand end of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the same,

Figure fi is a detail view showing a side elevation of the sheet rack in position, receiving the sheets delivered from the press with a V,new or unloaded pile table positioned to receive the sheets from the rack,

Figure 5 is a similar viewshowing the sheet rack in the process of being withdrawn to allow the sheets thereon to come upon the piletable,

Figure 6 is a similar view showing the rack folded or retracted out of position to allow the sheets to follow upon the main pile on the pile table,

Figure 7 is a side elevation on a larger scale showing parts ofV thel device which appear in Figure 1, and

Figure 8 is -a sectional view showing the details of one of the sliding brackets.

In the drawings the numeral 1 represents the front end of the frame of the press which, as aforesaid, may be a printing or cutting and creasing press; and mounted upon this frame is the bracket 2 which supports one end of the extended delivery frame. The side rails 3 which are supported at one end upon the brackets 2 form the upper longitudinal membersof the extended delivery frame, and the opposite ends rest upon posts or front legs 5, the lower ends of which are provided with feet 6 resting upon the floor. It will be understood that the bracket 2 is duplicated at opposite sides of the press and likewise the rails 3, legs 5, and feet 6 are also duplicated at opposite sides of the press. Arranged between the lend of the press and the forward ,legs 5 there is a piletable 16 which moves from a position just below the sheet rack to a point adjacent the floor, and it will be understood that this table, which is usually supported upon cables or chainsis adapted to be gradually lowered, step by step, in order to maintain the top of the pile ci sheets on this table at a uniform level. Any mechanism may be employed for operating' thepileL table and as the same are well known in the art, a detailed description thereof is unnecessary in the present case. Reference may be had to the patent of Fred S. English, No. 1,523,869,

dated January 20, 1925, as showing one form of mechanism for raising and lowering the pile table. When the pile table 16 has received a stack of sheets 15 to the limit of its capacity, as determined either by the weight of the stock, or the table reaching a point near the floor, it is necessary, if the press is to be kept in operation, to provide means for receiving the sheets delivered while the table 16 and pile 15 are being removed, and a new table placed into position,A

and the present invention is adapted to perform this function.

In the drawings we have shown tapes 10 which are the ordinary delivery tapes on the delivery carriage of a press, andthey engage around a front roller 7, a roller 8, and a roller 9, the latter being stationary, while the rollers 7 and 8 reciprocate with the carriage. As the delivery carriage, tapes and rollers are all devices well known in the art, a detailed description is unnecessary in the present case. It is sucient to point out that the sheets from the press are carried forward on the upper runs ofthe tapes 10`until'the roller 7 reaches approximately the position shown in Figure 1, and upon the return stroke or the movement to the right of the roller 7, the tapes 10 peel off under the sheet allowing it to fall upon the stack which is forming upon the pile table 16, or upon the improved rack to be hereinafter described. The delivery carriage is supportedthrough the Wheels 11 upon the carrlage tracks 12 arranged at opposite sides ofthe extended delivery device, in well known manner.

There is a rod 14 extending crosswise on the deliveryv frame, and it supports the front stops 13 in position for the leading edge of the sheet to strike against in order to cause the sheets tofall into uniform' position, andit. is common to use similar stops for the rear and side edges of the sheet, but these "are omitted for simplicity of illustration.

We have shown at 17 side rods arranged at opposite sides of the extended delivery frame andout of the path of the sheet. Asmost of the parts of the device are duplicated at opposite sides'of the'press a description of the parts at' one side will suiiice for both. One end of the rod 17 is xed in the bracket 18 which is attached to the carriage track 12. The other end of the rod is secured to the bracket 19 which is attached to the frame of the extended delivery device, the brackets 19 at opposite sides of the machine being connected with a tie rod 20. There. is a bracket 22 slidably mounted upon each rod 17 and there are additional brackets 23 slidably mountedl on each of these rods, the brackets 22.and 23 performing similar functions. Each of the brackets 22 and 23 carries a roller 24.v extending from one side of the machine to the other and there are suflicientofthese rollers to support the temporary stackof sheets delivered from the press during theinterval required fox-'the changeA of the delivery table. In order that these rollers 24 may revolve freely, they are mounted in the several brackets 22, 23v by means of roller or ball bearings 25. In Figure 1 we have shown the several brackets which carry thefrollers 24 extended to their extreme positions for receiving sheets of maximum size from the delivery` devicerof the'press. In Figure 6 these several brackets are shown in their extreme retractedV position with the rollers 24 outside of or beyond the path ofthe sheets to vpermit the latter to fall onv the pile table 16.y InFigure 5 We have shown the rack partially folded and in the operation of being withdrawn from the temporary pile of sheets.

On each of the rods 17 there is a bracket 26 fixed in position and carrying an idler sprocket 27. There is a shaft 28 journaled in the brackets 19 and at each end it has attached to it a sprocket 29 arranged in the same planewith the sprocket 27. There is anendless chain 30 which travels around the sprockets 27 and 29 and the chain is attached by means of a pin 3l to the bracket 22, the construction being duplicated at opposite sides of the machine. The shaft 29 is adapted to be manually operated by means of the hand ank 34 which is attached to the end of the shaft36, .the latter being journaled in one of the brackets 19 and in the bracket 37. On this shaft 36 there is a gear 33 which meshes with the gear 32 on the shaft 28. It will be apparent that by turning the crank 34 the motion will be transmitted to the shaft 28 and the sprockets 29 on this shaft will cause the upper run of the chain Y30 to move either to the right or left. l

The several brackets 22 and 23 which slide on the rods 17 are connected with each other by exible connections such as chains 38, and 1 one end of this exible connection is secured to the framework of the machine, such as by the pin 39, as shown in Figure 7. There is a collar 40 adjustably xed to each rod 17 and this limits the movement of the bracket 22 in one direction, l'

and these collars will be adjusted according to the size of sheet which is to be delivered from the press.

We have provided a set of endless tapes 4l which engage over the shaft 21 and also overthe 'il-L back roller 24 which is carried by the brackets 22 and the under runs of these tapes pass over the idler pulley 42, thence downwardly and around a pin of the weight 43, and thence upwardly to the shaft 21. The purpose of the weight 43 is tc keep the tapes 41 taut in any position of the foremost roller 24 around which the tapes engage. These tapes 41 have their upperA runs raised suiciently to extend above the bottom edges of the front stop 13 and serve to prevent the forward edge of the delivered sheet from passing under the front stop 13 in the event that one of the rollers 24 is not in positionto properly receive this forward edge of the sheet. Without these tapes the forward edge of the sheet might pass ,l

table.

Operation With the device in the position shown in Figure 6 the sheets are delivered from the delivery device of the press upon the pile table 16 to form the stack 15 and during this operation the rack device is retracted into a position where it will have no effect upon the sheets. At the same time the rack device is folded into compact form for it will not project beyond the extended delivery device, and utilize floor space. When they stack 15 has accumulated to such a point that it has to be removed, the operator, while the press is running, will grasp the hand crank 34 and turn Y it in the direction necessary for the upper run ofthe chain 30 to draw the bracket 22 and its roller 24 backwardly or to the right in Figure 6. Asrthis bracket and roller move to the right the upper run of the tapes 41 are extended and this causes the floating weight 13 to rise so that these tapes pass under the delivery device into position to receive the sheets therefrom. As the bracket 22 moves backwardly with its roller the ilexible connection 38 is nally straightened out between the bracket 22 and the next bracket 23 and when this occurs the first bracket 23 proceeds to move in spaced relation Withthe bracket 22. Subsequently, the ilexible connection 38 between the iirst bracket 23 and the succeeding bracket 23 is straightened and thereafter the second bracket 23 continues to move in spaced relation to the bracket 22 and the first bracket 23. This action continues in regard to the successive brackets 23 until the leading bracket 22 stops against the collar 40. If the latter has been positioned in the extreme right hand position for the largest size sheet, then when the bracket 22 comes up against the stop 40 all of the brackets 23 will have been drawn out to their extended position, as shown in Figure 4. If the collar 40 is adjusted to some position to the left of its extreme position, only a part of the brackets 23 will be drawn out to the extended position, and this adjustment may be made when the sheets delivered are of less than the maximum size. If the rack is positioned as shown in Figure 4 the sheets delivered by the delivery device of the press will fall upon the tapes 41 and be supported by these, and by the several rollers 24, and this will continue Aas long as the rack is in the extended position. The operator may now remove the pile table 16 and the stack of sheets 15 and replace the table 16 by another one, adjusting it to its upper position as shown in Figure 4. By this time a stack of sheets will have accumulated as shown at 15a upon the rack. The operator may now proceed to retract the rack While the press is still in operation and to do so the crank 34 is turned in the opposite direction. The upper run of the member 3G acting through the pin connection 3l will move the bracket 22 to the left in Figures 1 and 4 and the roller 24 carried by the brackets 22 will move with them. As these rollers 24 are freely revolvable on their ball bearings, they will roll from under the stack of sheets 15a instead of slidingand this will permit the stack of sheets 15a to fall gradually upon'the new pile table 16 without displacing the stack, except for its transfer from the rack to the pile table. In Figure the rack is shown partially retracted to illustrate the manner in which the temporary stack a is transferred to the pile table 16. As the forward brackets 22 come up against the iirst pair of brackets 23, the section of the chain 38 between the brackets falls into a loop and the bracket 22 pushes to the left against the first pair of brackets 23. As the movement of the brackets 22 continues the brackets 23 pick up the remainder of the brackets 23 until the device has been collapsed to the position shown in Figure 6.

It will be apparent that the present device is adapted to be folded into compact form so as not to extend beyond the extended delivery device notwithstanding that it is made to handle very large sheets aswell as smaller sheets. The device is also adjustable and adapted to receive different size sheets. There is no disarrangement'of the pile of sheets while being transferred from the rack to the pile table andtheoperation may be performed while the press isin operation, in fact the entire operation of the present device may be carried out without having to stop the press. Owing to the rolling action of the supporting members 24 in the preferred construction as distinguished from a sliding movement, it is possible to use the device for largeor small sheets Without disarranging the pile while the rack is being Withdrawn.

1. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon and a sheet rack for temporarily receiving the sheets above the table, said rack being movable into and out of sheet receiving position over said table and revolvable sheet supporting members on said rack adapted to disengage from under the sheets by a rolling action.

2. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon and a rack for temporarily receiving sheets above the table, said rack being movable into and out of sheet receiving position over said table and havingrollers for supporting the sheets, adapted to disengage from under the sheets by a rolling action.

3. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon, and a'rack for temporarily receiving the sheets above the table, said rack being slidable into and out of sheet receiving position over said table, supporting rollers on said rack and tapes engaging over said rollers, whereby the sheets rest on said tapes and rollers, said tapes and rollers being adapted yto disengage from under the sheets by a rolling action when the sheet rack is retracted.

4. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon and a rack for temporarily receiving the sheets above the table, said rack including revolvable members for supporting the sheets and adapted to roll from under the sheets piled there 5. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon, and a rack for temporarily receiving the sheets above said table, said rack including revolvable members for supporting the sheets, tapes extending over the tops of said revolvable members, said revolvable members and tapes being adapted to roll from under the sheets piled thereon, said rolling supports being mounted to slide into collapsed or extended position.

6. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon, and a rack for temporarily receiving the sheets above said table, said rack including revolvable members for supporting the sheets, tapes extending over the tops of said revolvable members, said revolvable members and tapes being adapted to roll from under the sheets piled thereon, said revolvable members being mounted to slide into collapsed or extended positions, and means for maintaining said tapes taut over the tops of said revolvable members as the latter are shifted in position.

'7. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon, tracks, members movable along said tracks into extended and collapsed positions, and means carried by-said latter members for supporting sheets above said table.

8. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon,k tracks, members movable along saidv 9. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon, tracks, members movable along said tracks finto extended and collapsed positions, means carried by said latter members for supporting sheets abovesaid table, means for moving said movable membersalong said tracks, and

Having described our'invention, what We claim adjustable means for limiting the movement of said movable memberson said tracks.

10. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon, tracks, members movable along said 5 tracks, collapsible spacing connections between said latter members, and means carried by said movable members for supporting sheets above said table.

1l. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon, tracks, members lmovable along.V said tracks, collapsible spacing connections between said members, and rollers carried by said movable members, for supporting sheets above said table.

12. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon, tracks, members movable along said tracks, iiexible spacing connections between said latter members, rollers carried by said movable members and tapes extending across the tops of said rollers, whereby the rollers and tapes support the sheets when the rack is in extended position. n

13. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon, tracks, members movable along said tracks and adapted to be placed in extended position across the space above said table and to be collapsed into close relation beyond the path of the table, and members carried by said first members, for supporting sheets'above the table.

14. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon, tracks, members slidable along said tracks, flexible spacing connections between the several sliding members, means operating on the endmost sliding member for extending and retracting the sliding members on said tracks, and means carried by said sliding members for supporting sheets above said table.

15. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon, tracks, members slidable alongr said tracks, flexible spacing connections between the several sliding members, sprockets adjacent the opposite ends of the frame, a exible member engagingover said sprockets and connected with the endmost of said sliding members, and means for operating said latter iiexible members to extend and collapse said slidable members.

16. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon, tracks, members slidable on the tracks and having rollers for supporting sheets above said table, exible connections between said sliding members, tapes engaging over the tops of said rollers and a floating weight for maintaining said tapes taut as said sliding members move on said tracks.

17. The combination with a framea pile table thereon and a rack for temporarily receiving sheets above the table, said rack comprising members for supporting the sheets, tracks for guiding said members, on which said members are adapted to be moved into separated position for receiving the sheets and adapted to be moved individually toward each other into collapsed condition, said supporting members, when moved into collapsed condition, being adapted to disengage from the sheets accumulated thereon and to deliver them upon said pile table.

18. The combination with a frame,'a pile table thereon, a member slidably mounted over said pile table, sprockets adjacent the opposite ends of the frame, chains extending over said sprockets and connected with the sliding member, and means for operating said chains to move said sliding member backward or forward over said pile table.

19. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon, a member slidably mounted over said pile table, revolvable members adjacent the opposite ends of the frame, flexible members extending over said revolvable members and connected with the sliding member and means for operating said revolvable members to move said sliding member backward or forward over said pile table. v i

20. The combination with a frame, a pile table thereon, a member slidably mounted over said pile table, sprockets mounted on said frame, chains extending over said sprockets and connected with the sliding member, and means for operating said chains for moving said sliding member forward and backward over said pile table.

21. The combination of a press delivery, a pile table and a sheet catcher removably mounted in a plane between said delivery and said pile table, sprockets mounted out of the path of said pile table, chains extending over said sprockets, said chains being connected with said sheet catcher, and means for operating said chains whereby said sheet catcher may be moved into or out of sheet catching position.

22.,The combination of a press delivery, a pile table and a sheet catcher removably mounted in a plane between said delivery and said pile table, pulleys mounted out of the path of the pile table, flexible members extending over said pulleys, said flexible members being connected vwith said sheet catcher, and means for operating said flexible members whereby said sheet catcher may be moved into or out of sheet catch- -ing position.

23. The combination of a press delivery, a pile table, and asheet catcher mounted to slide horizontally in a plane between said delivery and said pile table, tape wheels mountedout of the path of the sheet, tapes extending over` said tape wheels and connected with said sheet A catcher, sprockets, and chains engaging over said sprockets and arranged out of the path of the sheets and adapted to move said sheet catcher.

24. In a delivery apparatus for sheet-feeding mechanism, a main support comprising a table to receive the sheets discharged from the feeding mechanism, said table being removable from the apparatus to remove the sheets supported thereon, a mechanical auxiliary support adapted to temporarily stop the sheets discharged from said feeding mechanism and to form a complete support for a plurality of sheets, so as to permit removal of the sheets on said table, said auxiliary support comprising an anti-friction device on which the sheets accumulate, said anti-friction device including a roller forming a support for the sheets, and means whereby said auxiliary support is shifted in a line at a right angle to the axis of said roller to drop the sheets from said anti- 1 .f

friction device to the table.

25. In a delivery apparatus for sheet feeding mechanism, a main support to receive the sheets discharged from the feeding mechanism, an

auxiliary support adapted to stop the sheets dis- :n

of sheets to temporarily prevent delivery to the E. f

main support, and means for shifting said auxiliary support, said means including driving members at opposite sides of said auxiliary support co-operating with each other to simultaneously shift both of said sides.'

26. In a delivery apparatus for sheet feeding mechanism, a main support to receive the sheets discharged from the feeding mechanism, said main support comprising a member on which the sheets accumulate, an auxiliary support movable into the path of the material to temporarily prevent delivery to said main support, said auxiliary support including an anti-friction device on which the sheets accumulate s that said auxiliary device forms a complete mechanical support for a plurality of sheets, and means whereby said anti-friction device is Withdrawn from said path to drop the accumulated sheets onto the main support, said means including driving members at opposite sides of said auxiliary support cooperating with each other to simultaneously shift both of said sides.

27. In a delivery apparatus for sheet-feeding mechanism, a main support comprising a table to receive the sheets discharged from the feeding mechanism, said table being removable from the apparatus to remove the sheets supported thereon, an auxiliary support adapted to temporarily stop the sheets discharged from said feeding mechanism, so as to permit removal of the sheets on said table, said auxiliary support comprising complete mechanical support for a plurality of sheets and including an anti-friction device on which the sheets accumulate, said anti-friction device including a roller forming a support for the sheets, and means whereby said auxiliary support is shifted in a line at a right angle to the axis of said roller to drop the sheets from said anti-friction device to the table, said means including driving members at opposite sides of said auxiliary support cooperating with each other to simultaneously shift both ends of said roller.

28. In a delivery apparatus for sheet feeding mechanism, a main support, means for delivering sheet material to said support, and an auxiliary support forming a complete mechanical support for a plurality of sheets, said auxiliary support comprising a curtain movable into and out of the path of the sheets between said means and the main support.

29. In a sheet delivery apparatus, a support, means for delivering sheets to said support, a roller movable into or out of the path of the sheets between said means and the support, and a curtain cooperating with said roller for extension into said path to form a complete mechanical auxiliary support for said sheets.

30. In a sheet delivery apparatus, a support, a means for delivering sheet material to said support, and a curtain adapted to be rolled into or out of the path of the sheets between said means and said support and adapted to form a complete mechanical support for a plurality of sheets.

31. In a sheet delivery apparatus, a support, means for delivering sheets to said support, a roller movable into or out of the path of the sheets between said feeding means and the support, and a curtain cooperating with said roller and adapted to be rolled into said path to form a complete mechanical auxiliary support for a plurality of sheets.

32. A sheet support comprising a curtain movable to receive and release the sheets to be supported, said curtain being adapted to be rolled out of engagement with the sheets to be supported, and means for tensionally adjusting said curtain.

33. In a delivery apparatus for sheet feeding mechanism a main support to receive the sheets discharged from the feeding mechanism, said main support comprising a member on which the sheets accumulate, a mechanical auxiliary support movable into the path of the sheets to temporarily prevent delivery to said main support and to permit a plurality of sheets to pile thereon whereby said auxiliary support provides a complete support for the sheets, said auxiliary support including an anti-friction device on which the sheets accumulate, and means whereby said anti-friction device is withdrawn from said path to drop the accumulated sheets onto the main support.

34. In a delivery apparatus for sheet feeding mechanism, a main support to receive the sheets discharged from the feeding mechanism, said main support comprising a movable table on which the sheets accumulate, a mechanical 115 auxiliary support movable over said table to temporarily prevent delivery of sheets to said table, and adapted to permit a plurality of sheets to pile thereon whereby said auxiliary device provides a complete support for the sheets, said 120 auxiliary support including an anti-friction device on which the sheets accumulate, and means whereby said anti-friction device is withdrawn from said path to drop the accumulated sheets onto said table.

FRED S. ENGLISH.

ROBERT H. DODDS. 

